


Symphony

by Aria_Aire



Category: Cookie Run (Video Game)
Genre: Christmas, Gen, Sequel, happy late christmas, merry new year everyone, thank you dev for Wind Archer buff
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-27
Updated: 2021-01-27
Packaged: 2021-03-13 04:28:13
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 3,492
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29022714
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Aria_Aire/pseuds/Aria_Aire
Summary: Wind Archer and Whipped Cream go to visit the town to celebrate Christmas day, but somehow everything is not right. What happened to the cookies there?
Kudos: 3





	Symphony

**Author's Note:**

> Please read these previous work of mine if you haven't read them yet:  
> > Euforia: https://www.archiveofourown.org/works/26390794  
> > Reincarnation: https://www.archiveofourown.org/works/26408089
> 
> Though considering this work (Symphony) as an independent work is still okay.
> 
> I wrote this as an Xmas gift to the official CROB discord server.
> 
> Started: 12/25/2020  
> Finished: 01/27/2021

It’s a normal day in December. 

\- Oh, I’ve been waiting for you. Please come here, I’ll go to the kitchen now.

\- Uuuu...

\- This little miss come along with you today, I see. But... she seems a bit more gloomy than usual, no?

\- I’m truly sorry about making you worried like this. I will talk to you while we finish the preparation. May I come with you?

\- You’re always welcome here. 

\- Onion, take a seat. We’ll be back soon. Don’t worry, it’s shining bright in the morning, there’s nothing scary around.

Onion nods and moves to a chair to wait for Blackberry and Truffle. 

———————————

\- I barely come outside the mansion, but I’ve heard from my beloved spiders about this, too. How mysterious... 

Placing the hot kettle and the tea set in the table, Truffle sighs. 

\- I hope this problem can be solved as soon as possible. Not only Onion, other cookies in the town seem sick lately. 

\- Have you met someone this week?

\- Yes. Let me remember... Cotton Candy, Cocoa, Mint Choco, those citrus cookies, and some others. All of them looked... I mean, in a very sad mood. They couldn’t even smile like they did everyday.

\- How about you? 

\- I feel normal. But somehow Onion got effected by this strange atmosphere... Ah, sorry. Let me move aside. Here. 

A small spider runs under the table and climbs up. It is carrying a letter.

\- A letter from Fairy. The receivers are all of us, including Adventurer. Let me read it for you two. 

“Hello, it’s Fairy here.

I don’t know what is happening to the town, but I think you all better stay inside the mansion. Please don’t come out, I sense something dangerous outside. 

Stay safe,  
Fairy.”

\- She sensed something, but she also can’t tell what it is. 

\- It’s... dark... 

\- What do you mean? 

\- I think... I saw ghosts... Strange ghosts with sharp teeth... But they... disappeared... fast... 

\- By “strange” you mean they’re not the ghosts you see normally? 

\- Yes... They looks... horrible...

\- The helpers in my house are all ghosts, but Onion is never scared of them. So I think the ghosts she talked about are something else.

\- Now, come to think about it... Some of my spiders said they saw ghosts in the town, but I thought they joked. 

\- Fairy said we should not come to the town, but staying still is not a good choice either. 

\- No worries, my dear. I will ask my spiders for help. For now, let's just enjoy the tea. 

———————————

\- What a disgrace... This is not what I want to show you after all. 

\- It can't be helped. More importantly, I sense the dark magic in this town. We should do something before the situation turns worse. 

Whipped Cream decided to visit the Cookie Town when Christmas comes. Since the forest recovered, there's no sign of danger near the Galaxy Lake anymore - and that's why Whipped Cream asked Wind Archer to come along with him. 

\- I feel like something really important is missing. But my head... 

Whipped Cream can't finish his words. He started to get a slight headache from the time the two arrived to the town. Wind Archer looks at the sky, and slowly closes his eyes.

\- The wind... is flowing chaotically. 

\- Wh-What...? There's... no wind though. Is my sense too dense? 

\- No, it's naturally that you can't feel it. And it's good for you. Let's go for a walk around this town. I need to find the cause of this abnormal atmosphere...

Christmas is an annual festival that everybody enjoys. It supposes to be bustling and cheerful - that's what Whipped Cream learned last year, when he was lost in the maze and it led him to a fake town just like the town he's in now. From what he can see, this town has colorful lights, cute decorations, and the sweet smell of jelly cupcakes for Christmas. 

But something is missing. What is it...? 

\- Extra, extra. Newspapers... 

\- Hello there. Can I get a newspaper? 

\- Here's yours...

\- What's up? Looks like you're out of energy. 

\- Thank you, mister. Truth is, my friends...

Chestnut tells them about Pudding and her siblings. The quadruplets one day told Chestnut that "We don't wanna do anything..." and they just keep staying at home from that day.

———————————

Whipped Cream meets some more cookies in the way. Wind Archer just stand with him silently and listens to the chit-chat. 

\- What do you think about this so far? 

\- Those cookies are all healthy. 

\- Eh? 

\- But the ghosts are haunting them. 

\- Now what. 

\- There are ghosts floating in the town. So many, I can't tell the exact number. 

\- Are they absorbing something from the cookies...

\- I'm not sure. Those ghosts are not strong. Or I can say, they're really weak in physical. But... 

\- ? 

\- Those ghosts did something, but I can't figure what they did exactly. They are just... there, menacingly.

Whipped Cream tries to look around, but like what Wind Archer just said, he can't see or feel the ghosts by himself, like other cookies in the town. 

\- This way. The wind tells me that those ghosts started to appear from over there. 

\- What if... Hmph, let's go there together. 

\- Are you planning on something? 

\- I'll get myself haunted. By that way, you can see what the ghost will do at me. 

\- I see... But that may put you into unexpected danger, don't you think so? 

\- If you can find the solution, then it's fine anyway - Whipped Cream smiles.

———————————

\- Here is the place. The ghosts are surrounding that thing. What is it? 

\- A water fountain. It looks nice, isn't it? You can think of it as an ornament for the town. Now... let me come near it. 

\- Be careful. 

Whipped Cream take out a coin. 

\- What are you doing? 

\- Ah, you don't know about it? There's a legend among the cookies that if you toss a coin into a fountain and make a wish, your wish will come true. 

\- I don't need a wish - Wind Archer replies with a frowning face. The word "wish" makes him remember about "that side". 

\- Then I will toss two coins and make an extra wish for you.

“Here it comes.”

Wind Archer look at Whipped Cream, who is standing right in front of the fountain. The shiny coins fly up and then fall down to the water. Closing his eyes, Whipped Cream whispers the wishes. 

\- ! 

A strange light flashes as quick as a blink under the surface of the fountain. Wind Archer holds his bow tight and focuses at the surface with high concentration. 

Just in a mili second, a ghost rises up from the fountain. It’s pitch black with red eyes and sharp teeth. 

“I can’t attack it. It’s born from something down there...”

The ghost opens its large mouth, and it chomps Whipped Cream. 

\- Nnnn...?

\- So that’s it? I see it now. 

Wind Archer slowly steps to the fountain. 

\- I think I got bited... just now...

\- Yes. The ghost ate your memory about something. Wait for me here.

\- H-Hey! You’re gonna get soggy!!

Wind Archer jumps onto the water. 

\- Don’t panic. If my body starts to get soggy, I will transform myself into the wind. 

\- But you can’t recover immediately. As I remember, it takes... 

\- Just some days. And it’s not like I will get soggy that fast. 

\- But...

\- How about this? Sing me a song. Pick a song which is not too short. I will be back after you finish singing, promise.

Whipped Cream gets frozen in mind for some seconds before he realizes. 

\- My headache... is gone...?

\- The ghost haunted you disappeared just now. How strange...

\- Anyway, promise! Let me see... 

And Whipped Cream starts humming an old melody. It sounds like a folk song for the cookie children. While listening to it, Wind Archer dives and tries to find where the ghosts were born. 

———————————

Wind Archer found a weird box in the bottom of the fountain. He moves on to reach it, but suddenly the song from Whipped Cream stops. Seems like the song still has more than that, but Whipped Cream has to end it abruptly.

"I must get that thing first..." 

When Wind Archer comes back to the surface, he sees Whipped Cream trembling in the brim of the water basin. 

\- I'm back. Are you okay? 

\- H-Help me... This... 

Wind Archer notices that there's a spider in the ground.

\- I don't think this spider can do anything to harm you... 

\- Then take your turn. I'll pass. 

\- Hello there. What do I have here, little little? 

\- You can understand what it says huh.

\- "My master got a letter! Her pal told Master and Miss Blackberry to stay at home! It's dangerous outside!"

\- Your voice sounds funny, haha. 

\- Shhh. "I go to the town to gather information. I saw many cookies! All of them looks so gloomy. And I saw many ghosts!"

\- Yes, yes we know. 

\- "But among the cookies, there's only one cookie that is crying out loud! Reaaaally loud!" 

\- Huh? 

\- Do you know where that cookie is? ...Okay, please wait for us. 

\- What did it say? 

\- This spider will lead the way. But first of all, let's take a look at this box.

The box looks like a normal carton box, but it's covered in black, and there's no way to open it. 

\- The ghosts are spawned from this thing. That black cover is a seal, but somehow it turned into a curse. 

\- Maybe it's related to the crying cookie that spider mentioned just now. 

\- I think so, too. By the way, can you hold this box for me? Please place it on the top of your head and make sure you hold it tight.

\- Don't tell me you're going to...

\- You guessed it right. 

Wind Archer takes out the bow and put on the arrow. Take a deep breath, Whipped Cream moves the box up carefully.

\- I'm going to shoot. Remember that you must hold the box as tight as you can, even after I shoot the arrow.

\- Okay. 

The light green arrow flies straight to the box vividly. Whipped Cream feels his hands shaking for a second, but he still holds on. 

\- Hold the box tight and keep it down! Little spider, make a run to the place of the crying cookie you talked about! Quick! 

\- Wait----! Hey! I don't know what's going on but please follow us after you finish!

The sudden shout from Wind Archer makes Whipped Cream startled, but then he notices that there's dark shadow popped out from the cover of the box after being hit by the arrow, and Wind Archer are chasing it up. There's no other way - Whipped Cream decides to turn back and runs after the tiny spider.

———————————

The crying sounds is getting closer and closer while the spider is slowing down. 

There's a cookie who is leaning on the wall and sobbing. 

\- I forgot to check the box...

Whipped Cream remember the carton box he is still holding. He gently opens it. Inside the box is a harp. 

\- Hello there! Is it yours? - Whipped Cream shows the harp to the crying cookie. 

\- *sob sob* What is it... Wah????? Isn't it my harp!? Where did you find it? Thank you, thank you!!

\- Who are you? How did you lose this harp? 

\- I'm Carol Cookie. The harp... It's--- waaa, is that a spider!?

\- Don't worry, this spider is your savior. It helped us to find the harp. 

\- Really? Thank you! Oh, did you say "us"? Why are you alone here? 

\- I have a companion, he's going to do something. Can I hear your story first?

Carol nods and starts to tell the reason why she lost the harp. 

From the first day of December, she planned to practice a special Christmas performance for the town in Christmas night. One day, she went to the fountain to make a wish that her upcoming performance will be good. But suddenly, a ghost appeared. It laughed loudly and said: "No Christmas for this year! I will erase all the memories about songs and music from the cookies, and everyone will drown in sadness forever!". Then it opened the mouth and grabbed Carol. The poor girl lost her consciousness, and when she woke up, her harp was gone.

———————————

The sound of the arrow tears the wind apart. Then the tip of the arrow hits right at the "center" of the shadow, once again. Seems like the shadow Wind Archer are chasing after is a kind of clone from the original "ghost" or something like that. Whatever it is, it's the cause of the current situation in the town. 

The shadow is forced to slowing down every time it gets hit, then it struggles to escape the arrow to fly ahead. 

\- You may be quick, but you're no match for me. 

Saying that, Wind Archer takes another jump and keeps following that shadow. 

The shadow leads deeper and deeper into an overgrown garden next to the town, then it stops at a bush. To make sure that the original "ghost" cannot escape, Wind Archer pulls out three arrows at once and aims. 

\- Stop it! Stop! Surrender! I surrender! 

\- Don't you dare lie to me. Come out!

The bush rustles. A small cookies in red moves out from it, and that cookie has a pointy black tail. 

\- Geez... I said I surrender. Let me go! 

\- You won't go anywhere. Please explain what you did to the town, and resolve all the problems you caused. 

Devil Cookie - the one who got caught by Wind Archer just now - is the root of the curse. It stole the harp from Carol, and used the sadness of Carol as the conductor of the curse. As Carol kept crying, the ghost kept spawning from the sealed harp and haunted the citizens of the town who came near the fountain. 

\- They don't want me. They said I'm annoying! But all I did to them were harmless pranks! Aren't they boring? Why did those cookies refuse to understand me?

\- Seems like you never think about the result. 

\- What do you mean? 

\- If all the cookies went sad, they would slowly become emotionless about your pranks. In conclusion, you would be forgotten in the future, like an invisible creature. The cookies would no longer care about you. And although the cookies were still around, you would be all alone forever until your dough crumbled into dust. 

Those words give Devil a huge shock. 

\- N-No... It can't be...

\- You said you hate the cookies in the town, but you're lying to yourself. You love them - and that's why you keep on continuing your pranks. You just want a friend, right? 

\- You... It's not like that! I... will... never love them... Waaah...

Wind Archer stays silent and listens to Devil crying until it stops and falls asleep. 

\- Huff. Time to go. 

———————————

Wind Archer comes back to find Whipped Cream, and he meets Carol. He explains the situation. 

\- Arcording to what you said... Many cookies of the town are under the effect of the curse. I think I can help them! 

\- Yeah, since your harp is the key item. It incidentally caused the curse, so it also can reverse the curse. 

\- Guh...

\- Finally, you're up. 

\- Where am I? Huh, did you tied my hands? Let me go! 

\- No. 

\- Geez...

\- Your name is Devil, right? Why did you steal my harp?

\- I hate you all! 

\- You're lying again - Wind Archer shakes his head.

\- I'm not! You guys are always laughing noisily... So... 

\- Ah, I see - Whipped Cream's eyes glow sparkling up - Do you wanna join us? 

\- Wha-?????? No, no, you are all supposed to punish me or something like that, aren't you? 

\- Don't say that. Christmas is for everyone! M-Maybe you won't receive any gift from Ginger Claus, but you still can join the fun, right? 

Devil blushes. 

\- Why are you... so nice to me? 

\- If every cookie in the town is happy, then I feel happy. That's why... This harp is important to me. Because my songs bring happiness to the cookies, I can see their smiles, their laughters, their happiness. That's enough for me. And I want to see your smile, too!

\- Don't you dare say such embarrassed thing! Ugh...

\- Can you tell me how to break the curses for the town? 

\- Sure... Just use your harp and play at that fountain where I buried it. 

———————————

Carol takes a deep breath and touches the strings on her harp. 

"I remember how my heart was pounding ♪ When you arrive like a comet ♪"

The melody starts resounding and flowing from where she's standing, goes through all the streets in the town. 

\- A song? Is this a song? Pudding, Pudding! Let's go out! This is your favorite song! 

Chestnut happily knocks on the wood door and call out for the Puddings. 

"When I'm crying, lend me your shoulder ♪"

\- What's it, my dear? - Truffle smiles at the tiny spider on the ground, who just came back from the special mission with Whipped Cream. 

\- Is there any news?

\- I see, I see. Blackberry, seems like we can go outside now. Little miss, will you go with us? 

Onion wipes her tears away and happily nods.

"I want you everyday ♫ I need you in my life ♫"

The town finally wakes up after a long nightmare. All the cookies now can hear Carol's song. They all feel excitingly curious and run toward the fountain.

\- How strange it is. 

\- Strange...? - Whipped Cream tilted his head, looking at Wind Archer. 

\- The winter... It's supposed to be cold and dry... But right now, I feel it so warm. 

\- Right. Because all of us are here, together. That's the magic of the Christmas day. 

Carol finishes her song. Then she surprisingly realizes that all the cookies of the town are gathering in the square.

\- Wahhh? Why is everyone here? 

\- Isn't it obvious? - With the grumpy face, Devil replies - Your singing called them here. 

\- That's such a honor of mine... I'm so happy my song reached the cookies! 

The giggling sounds ring from the Pudding siblings. 

\- Everyone, Merryyyyyyyyyyyyyy Christmas!!!!

\- Merry Christmas!!!!!!!!

All the neon lights are on. Carol continues to sing with her loud and clear voice. Wind Archer and Whipped Cream, as well as all the cookies in the town stay together to listen, or even sing along with Carol. 

\- Where are you going?

\- Tch. I thought you two wouldn't notice. 

\- It's true that you caused too much troubles, but no one blamed you. Stay there and enjoy the festival. 

\- Oh, are you feeling guilty? 

\- Yes, yes, what's the matter? - Devil embarrassingly blushed. 

\- Nothing, ahaha - Whipped Cream laughs.

The songs for everyone warm up the town in the snowy night. 

"Are you still alive? Is the song still going on?"  
Are you still thinking about pointless things in this corner of the world?"

"Surely you've noticed by now  
that the songs are disappearing."

"「I'm terrible at singing,」  
I said while crying all alone"

"The truth is, everyone wanted that world to continue for a little longer  
Do you know what that means? Could the right answer be wrong?"

"I noticed the dulling story  
was only full of endings"

"Even when I'm tangled up in relationships or when I'm awkward in the beginning  
There's no way to go back"

"Many winters long gone  
Still, none of them were pointless"

"I'm glad I'm terrible at singing  
because then we can cry together"

"Transience and semblance; whispering and wandering  
Mischief and spiral; liar and future"

"Oh song, will you still go on?  
Even when I'm not around anymore, I hope you will continue singing like always"

"In this corner of the world  
...even now, I'm still thinking of pointless things like that."

———————————

\- Thank you! This is such a lively holiday! 

\- Thank you, too! You guys helped me so much. I can't give you anything in return, so I can only sing these songs for you. 

\- That's far more than enough, miss. 

Whipped Cream bows down elegantly towards Carol. 

\- We shall take our departure here---- Eh? 

Wind Archer pushes Whipped Cream back. 

\- You should stay there. In this town.

\- Huh...? 

\- You're a ballerino. You create art. The cookies will be happy if they can watch your performances. You belong here, Whipped Cream. 

\- But, but you...

\- Don't worry about me. I'll make sure to visit you from time to time. 

\- Promise? 

\- Promise. Pinky promise, hmph. 

\- It's rare to see you smiling. Okay, promise. 

\- Whipped Cream, I'll contact the mayor! The cookies will help you to build your own house here! 

\- That's really great! Thank you so much!

Whipped Cream turns away to see Wind Archer. 

\- Stay safe, my friend. 

\- You too. See you again. 

\- Ah, wait. 

\- What is it? 

\- This is for you. And please tell Millennial Tree that I'll stay here from now on.

Whipped Cream gives Wind Archer a tight hug. 

The snow drizzles. As the neon lights are decorating all the corner of the town, the melody from the harp continues. A new year is coming soon...

[END]

**Author's Note:**

> \- Thanks for reading until here. I asked Neena to give me a “three-word challenge” – writing a story based on three words. This fanfiction is the result of it. The three words were “Carol”, “happy” and... uhhh... I forgot it... B-But anyway! This is a Christmas gift from me to all the members in the CROB server! Though it’s pretty late, haha...  
> \- The title of this work is the name of the song “Symphony” sung by Makino Yui. It’s an insert song from ARIA the Animation episode 11. That episode is about “departure” in a snowy day, too!  
> \- I think I made a lot of grammar mistake in this one. Please forgive me (T⌓T)  
> \- The work is a sequel to both “Reincarnation” and “Euforia”. Hope you guys enjoy it.


End file.
